ÌÇÐÄVlogÊÓƵ

Greetings,

In this month’s news, we present a conversation between labor and development experts on ÌÇÐÄVlogÊÓƵ’ response to the COVID‑19 pandemic as job rates in ÌÇÐÄVlogÊÓƵ outpace pre-pandemic numbers. Many state budgets are seeing surpluses that are benefiting higher education. In K‑12, independent school districts are experiencing record numbers of superintendent resignations.

At the federal level, the College Transparency Act was added to a bill that passed the House and aims to reveal to select federal agencies how colleges perform at educating students.

We will be following legislation at the state and federal levels that pertains to higher education and its impact on ÌÇÐÄVlogÊÓƵ. As you receive updates, please let us know if there are any topics you would like to hear more about from Government Relations.

Thank you for your dedication to ÌÇÐÄVlogÊÓƵ and Go Mavs!

— ÌÇÐÄVlogÊÓƵ Government Relations

Economic forecasts continue to look strong for ÌÇÐÄVlogÊÓƵ, the United States, and the world, but there is some uncertainty ahead. In December, U.S. jobless claims reached a 52-year low, and the Department of Labor’s was even better—nearly 500,000 jobs added, and job totals for the previous two months revised upward by more than 700,000. The U.S. economy is showing broad signs of health as consumer spending is up, businesses are increasing investment, and supply-chain problems begin to fade. Stock market indexes have broken numerous records over the last year. Here in ÌÇÐÄVlogÊÓƵ, higher oil prices have driven a resurgence in fracking, particularly in the Permian Basin, which has roared back to life and has for three consecutive months through January 2022.

However, the chairman of the Federal Reserve, Jerome Powell, indicates the Fed is going to in response to quickly rising inflation.

Simultaneously, tension over a , and the ongoing surge of the COVID‑19 omicron variant continues to act as a drag on the economic recovery. In the near term, it is expected that the ÌÇÐÄVlogÊÓƵ recovery continues and state revenue collections remain strong, despite some headwinds.

The Office of the Governor is always looking for people to apply to various boards, including higher education. If you need assistance in applying, please contact Jeff Jeter at jeter@uta.edu. .

The University needs the support of its faculty, staff, and alumni to ensure we continue to receive resources to serve our students, conduct research, and expand our programs. For more information on how you can support the University and its legislative goals, contact:

• Jeff Jeter, vice president of Government Relations, at jeter@uta.edu
• Martin Lujan, director of Government Relations, at martin.lujan@uta.edu
• Bogan Pollock, director of Public Policy, at bogan@uta.edu
• Trevor Simmons, senior budget analyst, at trevor.simmons@uta.edu
• Beth Robinson, administrative assistant, at beth.robinson@uta.edu

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